Reviews : Drama
Director creates 'techno' Shakespeare
Bizarre costumes, music lend modern theatrical twists


By Mary Hierholzer,
Writer
April 16, 2009

On a stage basked in darkness, a clap of thunder triggers the play, finally capturing the attention of the audience. However, I discovered, seeing Shakespeare's The Tempest performed by the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, no roils of thunder were needed to awaken the audience. Extremely clever directing and fabulous acting kept me tuned into the show every second.

Steppenwolf ensemble member Tina Landau directed the Shakesperian story and refused to leave The Tempest a dull experience. Instead of keeping the actors on their feet, she incorporated circus-like midair choreography with ropes. Landau seemed to favor abstract metaphors and unusual interpretations of the script. These bizarre takes on Shakespeare were pulled off unexpectedly well.

In The Tempest, the character Prospero (Frank Galati) uses magic on an "enchanted" island to manipulate events and seek revenge on his enemies. Prospero causes a storm with his magic, and he and his daugher, Miranda (Alana Arenas), meet the king's shipwrecked son, Ferdinand (Stephen Louis Grush). In the true fashion of Shakespeare, Miranda and Ferdinand fall in love after only a brief interaction.

Meanwhile, the King of Naples, Alonso (Craig Spidle), is desperately searching for Ferdinand, fearing his son has drowned. Prospero's "servant" spirit, Ariel (Jon Michael Hill), puts the king and his counselor, Gonzalo (Lois Smith), to sleep. While the two are asleep, Alonso's brother, Sebastian (Alan Wilder), and Prospero's brother, Antonio (James Vincent Meredith), plan to kill the royal family and win the crown.

Elsewhere on the island, Prospero's enslaved servant, Caliban (K. Todd Freeman), plots to kill Prospero in order to rule the isle and freedom.

The ensuing plot is a spiderweb of scheming and fighting as Ferdinand and Miranda fall more madly in love with one another and the heroes desperately try to stop the murder of Prospero.

With the plot based solely on dialogue, with no set direction, the theme and atmosphere is left for the director to set. The Tempest could be interpreted in many variations. While some may choose to create a dark, depressing show, Landau presented a bright, amusing, abstract performance.


When I heard The Tempest described as "techno Shakespeare," I definitely had my doubts. However, when I saw the aerial stunts, heard the actors' clear voices and saw the whole concept came together before my eyes, the metallic stage made sense.

To lighten up the dark set, bright shades of purple and magenta cloaked the royal characters; plaid shorts, suspenders and glasses were worn by Trinculo. The four spirits often wore peculiar skirts and masks (yes, men too). As odd as this all sounds, the entire concept came together remarkably well. Landau transformed a script into a beautiful, off-the-wall world.

The most enjoyable scene for me to watch was the wedding dance. If Landau had chosen to follow the time period of Shakespeare's indications, the masquerade would have been tedious and serious. However, fun techno music was played, with completely random costumes and amusing dances. The utterly ridiculous style appealed to the audience and laughter erupted all around me.

Familiar faces appeared onstage and made the show even more enjoyable to sit through. The actor, Tim Hopper, perfectly characterized the clown-like personality of Trinculo. His onstage character was by far the most amusing for me and Trinculo immediately became my favorite Shakesperian figure.

The Tempest opened my eyes to what Shakespearian shows really are. One could take the most lively story by the man himself and portray it with a boring show and completely ruin it. However, the talented director, designers and actors can take any script by Shakespeare and make it superb. The author is often to be blamed for a witless show; entertainment level is there in the script, but left for the director to bring out.

In this particular show, The Tempest, Steppenwolf's brilliant members pulled off the bizarre tale and took a truly unique twist on Shakespeare.

The Tempest will run at Chicago's Steppenwolf theater until May 31. For tickets and showtimes, visit the Steppenwolf Web site. For more reviews on local stage performances, visit Hannah Joseph's Feb. 5 article, 'Annie' adaptation maintains musical's charm.